Suegical



(No Model.)

- W. PENNY.

SURGICAL APPLIANCE.

Patented May 24, 1887.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEQ WILLIAM PENNY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORTO SEABURY & JOHNSON,

OF SAME PLACE.

SURGICAL APPLIANCE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 363,538, dated May 24,1887.

Application filed November iii, 1885. Serial No. 183,497. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM PENNY, a citizen of the United States, nowresiding at the city of New York, in the county and State of New York,have invented a certain new and Improved Surgical Appliance, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for effecting the closure of wounds,ulcers, 8m.

The improvement particularly relates to means for this purpose,consisting of two narrow strips of adhesive material, each provided witha single hook or projection, and an elastic band connecting said stripsof ad hesive material and arranged in such relation thereto as to exerta pull in the direction of said strips.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view illustrating a leghaving a wound, an ulcer, and a varicose vein treated according to myimprovement. Fig. 2 is a face view of an appliance embodying myimprovement, but not attached to anything. Fig. 3 is a sectional edgeview of this appliance.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

A designates two pieces of material, which are rendered adhesive on oneside, so that they can be fastened to flesh on opposite sides of awound, ulcer, 850., close to the walls or edges. As shown, these pieeesAare provided with hooks or studs a, which may be secured by insertingthem into the pieces or otherwise.

B designates a piece of elastic material, consisting of an india-rubberband connected with the pieces A by being slipped arou nd the hooks orstuds a.

The elastic material will exert a constant elastic traction to draw thewalls or edges of the wound, ulcer, &c., toward each other. It

will also produce a pressure upon any localized area over which it maybe arranged-as, for instance, varicose veins, a tumor, 8:0. When usedfor the latter purpose, a pad will preferably be arranged under theelastic material.

The advantages due the use of my invention are that it coaptates theedges of fresh wounds better than sutures or stitches, or any device nowin use. It does not produce irritation as they do. In chronic ulcersitreduces the extent of the surfaces which have to heal, while the shapeand direction of the cicatrix can be varied as may be desired. A savingof time and material in the dressing of wounds and ulcers will resultfrom its use.

I am aware that prior to my invention it was an old idea to employ, foreffecting the closure of a wound or sore, two strips of adhesivematerial adapted to be secured to the flesh adjacent to the edges of awound or sore and an elastic lacing or band engaging with hooks securedupon the strips of adhesive material. This contrivance, however, wouldnot by my improvement. It is to be observed that the strips of adhesivematerial which I employ are narrow in the direction of the strain towhich they will be subjected, and are provided each with a single hookor analogous device. The old contrivance, consisting of long strips ofadhesive substance provided each with a number of hooks, had to beadapted specially to the wound or sore with which it was to be used,whereas my contrivance can be applied anywhereand in any position. It isvery advantageous to have narrow strips of adhesive material, such as Iuse, provided each with a single hook or like device, and combined witha single elastic band for pulling the strips of adhesive material towardeach other, because such contrivance as this of mine may be used in anyposition and with any kind of sore or wound. Indeed, a number of suchcontrivances as mine may be used in various positions' about a sore orwound, even at different angles to each other. Thus a tension may beproduced from a variety of directions across a wound or sore. Where thewound or sore to be treated is irregular, this is of great importance.Again, it is often desirable to produce a greater tension at certainportions of the edges of a wound or sore than at others, and by usingwith such a wound or sore a number of contrivances like mine this resultmay be attained, because india-rubber bands of different strengths maybe employed in combination with different pairs of narrow strips ofadhesive material; or where only rubber bands of uniform length areattainable, certain pairs of 1' effect the same results as I am enabledto eiTect strips of adhesive material maybe more widely separated orplacedat a greater distance apart than others.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to 5 secure by Letters Patent,is

The combination, with two narrow strips of adhesive material, eachprovided with a single hook or projection, of an elastic band connectingsaid strips of adhesive material, and arranged in such relation theretoas to exert a 10 pull in the direction of the length of the said strips,substantially as specified.

NM. PENNY. \Vitnesses:

EDWIN H. BROWN, DANIEL H. DRISOOLL.

